Classic Mediterranean seafood…

by llmazzini on January 20, 2013

At Ciao Bello, Tony Vallone uses the same “doppio zero” flour for his housemade pasta as he does at Tony’s. He uses the same extra-virgin olive oil imported directly from Sicily. The setting is casual, the prices are family-friendly, and the atmosphere is jovial and relaxed… A slice of Italy in Houston.

Some might call it “Italian casual.” Others would call it “Italian comfort food.” And those who frequentTony’s on Richmond might even call it “Tony’s light.” We just call it “great food to be shared with family and friends.”

When legendary Houston restaurateur Tony Vallone decided to open Ciao Bello two years ago, his intention was to bring classic Italian cuisine made with authentic ingredients to the Galleria neighborhood (not far from the original Tony’s, which opened in 1965).

“Tony Vallone is the consummate classicist when it comes to wine and food,” wrote wine writer Dale Robertson in a recent edition of the Houston Chronicle. “You don’t stay open for nearly half a century by heading off willy-nilly in all directions.”

The Houston Press has called Ciao Bello one of the “top ten restaurants in the Galleria area” and veteran Houston restaurant reviewer Rob Walsh listed one of Ciao Bello’s housemade pastas as one of his “100 favorite Houston dishes.”